HDS - AFA - Doctor of Theology (ThD) Program

Admissions and Financial Aid

The Doctor of Theology Degree

ThD Degree Requirements | Related Programs for Advanced Degrees | PhD Program in Religion |
ThD and PhD Program Differences

The doctor of theology program (ThD) emphasizes the study of the literatures, languages, practices, and institutions that shape religious traditions and thought from a range of methodological and theoretical perspectives. Although the Western humanistic traditions in their histories and their encounters with other cultures and religions, past and present, form the historic basis for the ThD at Harvard Divinity School, the program also offers the opportunity for students to engage in the study of varieties of geographical/historical complexes and religious traditions.

Candidates for the doctoral degree will specialize in one of the fields of theological scholarship, such as: Hebrew Bible/Old Testament; New Testament and Early Christian Studies; History of Christianity; Theology (Historical and Systematic); Ethics; Comparative Religion; Religion and Society; and Religion, Gender, Culture.

Requirements for the ThD Degree

Study for the degree of doctor of theology extends through four stages: coursework, general examinations, prospectus, and dissertation. Candidates for this degree must fulfill the following:

Residence Requirement

Two years of full-time doctoral study in residence are normally required. During those first two years, students are required to complete at least three half courses per semester. A student must achieve the minimum grade point average of B in each academic year and meet all regulations governing enrollment of incompletes.

Supervision

Student progress will be monitored by the doctoral subcommittee of the Committee on the Study of Religion in cooperation with each student's adviser. Once the prospectus for the dissertation is approved, the dissertation shall be written under the supervision of one or more advisers approved by the Committee.

Language Requirements

Students are expected to demonstrate reading proficiency in at least two modern languages of scholarship (one upon entry into the program and the second within one year of entry). In addition, students are expected to demonstrate reading proficiency at an intermediate level in Greek, Hebrew, Sanskrit, or an equivalent ancient language prior to general examinations. Courses and/or examinations in additional languages may be required by the department, for the field of concentration, or for specific topics of the student's research and thesis.

Seminars

All first-year students are required to take the Common Doctor of Theology Seminar. Its purpose is to introduce major questions and/or problems in the study of religion and to offer an opportunity for critical reflection on the nature and boundaries of religious and theological inquiry. This seminar also functions to create an atmosphere of collegiality among first-year doctoral students, encouraging them to talk across subdisciplinary lines within the broader field. In addition, students must take the graduate seminars required by their field of concentration, as well as other courses and seminars determined in consultation with an academic adviser.

Second-Year Review

Every ThD student is required to participate in a second-year review with at least two faculty members in order to consider and clarify the overall design and progress of the student's program and to assess the student's progress in general. The student must submit two major course papers and a statement of academic purpose in advance of this meeting.

General Examinations

The examination process includes three written examinations, and one oral examination before a committee consisting of at least three faculty members. Except in special cases (e.g., Hebrew Bible and Comparative Religion) where deferment has been previously granted, general examinations must be passed by the end of the third year.

Students in Hebrew Bible/Old Testament follow the exam rubric required by the Near Eastern Languages and Civilization Department. Students in Comparative Religion are required to sit for an additional written examination in Theory and Methods. This exam is optional for students in other fields.

Prospectus

Students are expected to submit a dissertation prospectus as soon as possible (within 12 months) after passing the general examinations. The 2,000-word prospectus, stating clearly the argument of the thesis and showing why it gives promise of making a contribution to scholarship, must be presented to the Committee on the Study of Religion for approval. The context of the problem and the student's acquaintance with the literature in the field should be indicated. In consultation with the student's adviser, the Committee appoints a prospectus subcommittee, including representatives from other fields where advisable, to discuss the proposed project with the student and to advise the Committee regarding its acceptability as a thesis topic.

Dissertation

The degree shall be awarded on the basis of the completion of a doctoral dissertation and its defense before a faculty committee appointed by the Committee on the Study of Religion. The dissertation shall be written under the supervision of advisers approved by the Committee. The length of the thesis is limited to a maximum of 300 pages, exclusive of bibliography. A dissertation abstract, with a maximum length of 350 words, must be submitted with each copy. Once sustained by the Committee, the original dissertation and the first copy in bound form, together with their abstracts and an unbound, boxed copy for University Microfilms International, should be submitted to the registrar. Normally, a thesis should be submitted within two years of approval of the prospectus, but it must be submitted within seven years from the date of entrance into the program.

Related Programs for Advanced Degrees

In addition to the doctor of theology program, other doctoral programs in the field of religion are open to qualified students. The doctor of philosophy (PhD) program in the Study of Religion is also administered by the Committee on the Study of Religion, which is composed of representatives of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) and the Faculty of Divinity.

Given the competitiveness of the advanced degree programs, certain candidates may benefit from work at the master's level in order to focus their interests and strengthen their preparation. The Committee on the Study of Religion reserves the right to advise an applicant to seek admission to whichever of these programs is most suitable.

Doctor of Philosophy in the Study of Religion

This degree involves both general and specialized work in the study of religion. At the most general level, each student develops a synoptic historical understanding of human religiousness at large and a firm grounding in the theories and methodologies in the field of the study of religion. This foundation is to be deepened through a broad grasp of a context of study that provides the principal framework within which the candidate must develop mastery, at an advanced level, of some specialization in the study of religion.

For further information on program options and requirements for the PhD, please visit the Committee on the Study of Religion website.

Program Differences Between the ThD and PhD Degrees

Admissions | Coursework | Language Requirements | General Examinations | Financial Aid

The ThD is the highest degree awarded by the Faculty of Divinity at Harvard Divinity School, and the PhD is the highest degree awarded by the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) at Harvard University. Both programs are administered by the Committee on the Study of Religion, a standing committee of the FAS.

Both the ThD and the PhD programs are intended to prepare persons primarily for teaching and research in religion. In many respects, students in a particular field— e.g., theology—would follow almost the same course of study for specialization in that field, whether in the PhD or the ThD program. Students in both programs work with faculty members from both the Divinity School and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, and take courses in both faculties.

While similar in many ways, there are minor differences between the two doctoral programs, including:

Admissions

An MDiv or an equivalent degree is required for admission to the ThD program. While a master's degree is not required in order to apply for the PhD program in religion through the FAS, it is a distinct advantage in the application process and, in fact, most students admitted to the PhD program have already earned master's degrees.

Coursework

All doctoral students in religion are required to take a common seminar during their first semester. PhD students are required to take an additional common seminar during their fourth semester. Frequently, ThD students choose to take this seminar as well. All students take additional courses as required by their area of specialty. In addition, PhD candidates must take two courses in an area outside their specialization.

Language Requirements

Both PhD and ThD students are expected to demonstrate reading proficiency in at least two modern languages of scholarship (one upon entry into the program and the second within one year of entry). In addition, ThD students are expected to demonstrate reading proficiency at an intermediate level in Greek, Hebrew, Sanskrit, or an equivalent ancient language prior to general examinations.

General Examinations

The examination process for all ThD and PhD students consists of three written examinations and one oral examination. All PhD students and ThD students in Comparative Religion are required to sit for an additional written examination in Theory and Methods in the Study of Religion. Increasingly, ThD students choose to sit for this additional exam, though it is not required by their fields. Hebrew Bible/Old Testament students follow the exam rubric required by the Near Eastern Languages and Civilization Department.

Financial Aid

A typical offer to an admitted ThD student includes six years of tuition and three years of stipend. A fourth year of stipend is offered after a student's prospectus is passed. In addition, teaching fellowships are available for students in the third year of the program and beyond. A typical offer to an admitted PhD student includes five years of tuition, two years of stipend, two years of guaranteed teaching fellowships, and a final year dissertation completion grant.